


Fate/Murnan Ikigai

by FloraTheExplora



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms, Fate/stay night (Visual Novel), Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works (Anime 2014)
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/M, Family, Grief/Mourning, Happy Ending, Married Couple, Romance, Sad with a Happy Ending, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 02:47:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30031857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloraTheExplora/pseuds/FloraTheExplora
Summary: Set over a decade after the events of the Unlimited Blade Works route (True Ending), Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka are still recovering from the events of the Dismantling of the Greater Grail, but the couple is committed to achieving their happy ending in spite of all that's been lost. In this part, Rin has a surprise in store for Shirou...
Relationships: Emiya Shirou/Tohsaka Rin
Kudos: 10





	1. Aftermath

Late September, 2017

It's been over 3 years since that war came to an end. As time goes on, it becomes increasingly more difficult to remember the exact details...but I can’t let myself forget about everything that was lost.

A series of battles that rivaled the Holy Grail War. Comrades that lost their lives fighting for what they believed in. Innocent people that were used as collateral by the magi trying to restore Heaven's Feel. Those scars still remain, and likely always will.

It wasn't all bad, however. Reconciled relationships, deepening bonds with those we love, and even pursuing old dreams we left behind.

I'd like to think that, over time, the positive memories will begin to outweigh the negative ones. Maybe one day, I'll even stop regretting what I consider to be my failures...

After Shirou came and pulled me out of the rubble, I regained consciousness just in time to get revenge against the man who took the last remnants of my family from me. Although, I guess that isn't exactly accurate anymore.

Luvia and Gray helped us get to the Church so that the priestess, Caren Hortensia, could help with the wounds we suffered. It took a few days to fully recover, but, before we knew it, we were mostly back to our old selves. It was decided at Sakura's funeral service that she should be buried beside our father and mother. Occasionally, I recall the sacrifice Shinji made in an effort to protect me and Sakura; his final words still haunt me since I failed to save her… I decided it best to lay him to rest next to Kariya Matou.

Professor… Er, Lord El Melloi provided me with some details regarding the case, saying that the Clock Tower officially recognized the magi who attempted to reinstate Heaven's Feel as fanatics. He did that out of respect for me as the Guardian of Fuyuki. I'm eternally grateful to him for that. But what I'm most grateful to him for is not revealing the truth of Shirou's magic, his Reality Marble, to the Mage's Association.

Luvia got some closure for the Edelfelt family after she uncovered some kind of secret from the Third Holy Grail War that she refuses to talk about. She's been a lot nicer to me since all of that took place. It makes me feel uneasy, like she's plotting something…

Those two are also helping me in my effort to get revenge against Zouken Makiri, the man who nearly took everything from me. His body and soul may now be gone, but I’d be lying if I said that was enough for me. I will see to it that his name is eradicated from history, to ensure that any memory or recollection of him dies with me. Ironically, the magus who sought to live forever will not even live on in history. Just thinking about him makes my blood boil, but I just can’t settle for simple hatred.  
For the past three years I’ve been further pursuing my magic back at Clock Tower to improve the standing of the Tohsaka family. While I can't fully approve of the beliefs of a majority of magi at the Mage’s Association, and the bureaucracy is absolutely exhausting, I'm more than happy to use them as a tool to further improve my magic. I'm living at Clock Tower until I get tired of it all, though currently back in Fuyuki on a short vacation. It’s nice to have a break from London food...

As for Shirou, he's doing well. I see him a couple weeks out of the year while he's still working on his journeys alone. I'm not as worried about him now as I once was. After all, he's improved a lot since we first set off to travel the world. I really miss those years we traveled together... It was really nice spending more time with him.

We're still working towards our "happily ever after" together, a simple future where we can eventually settle down. We're both far too stubborn to let something like a long-distance relationship destroy what we worked so hard for, and I trust that we'll grow old together like the boring lovers we've become. Speak of the devil...

"Toh~sa~ka~" He comes into the room with his apron still on like a dork. "Good, you're finally awake. I went and got you your toast and strawberry jam!" Shirou hands me a plate of my favorite breakfast food. "I'm also working on the tea for us so we can relax in bed a bit longer."

"Thanks, you're the best!" He watches me as I take a bite of the toast. "What? Is something wrong with my face?" He shakes his head.

"Of course not!" He gives me my good morning kiss on the cheek now since I had slept in. "You are just positively glowing." I choke a little on my next bite of toast at those words as he rushes off to get the tea. I'm a bit nervous about the news that I have to tell him, what with him traveling so much and all...

This is our first day back in Fuyuki in a little over three months, it’s a big day for the two of us after all. You see, on this particular day three years ago, Shirou finally got a clue and proposed to me! It was the first time I had truly felt happy since Sakura passed. I guess our little conversation finally led to him catching on, he can be pretty dense sometimes. Four months from now we'll come back and celebrate our wedding anniversary together. The wedding was so much fun. Especially the part where I got cake all over Issei. That’s what he gets for constantly keeping Shirou late after school!

"Now how should I go about telling him that secret I've been keeping for these past three months...?" As I ponder what to do while eating my toast, Shirou arrives with our morning tea. He hands me my cup as he crawls back into bed and gets under the covers with me.

"Aah. Days like today truly make you appreciate the little things, huh?" He asks me while I'm deep in thought.

"Hmm? Yeah, for sure. I just can't wait until we can do this kind of thing every day..."

"You can't just waste the day away every day..." He says that with a smirk before sipping on his tea. "Besides, we do have to get out of bed at some point today in order to prepare for our lunch reservations." I nod in acknowledgement.

"You're right... But, you know, I meant just spending the day together while we live here in Fuyuki. That's still the goal for our happy ending, right?"

"Of course, I don't think we're too far off. I guess we'll have to get actual jobs when that time comes."

"Shirou…?" I look at him a bit nervously as I set my cup down.

"Yes?" He sets his cup down.

"Do you think...um..." I scratch my arm under the covers.

"What's wrong, Mrs. Tohsaka?" He leans in and lays his head on my shoulder.

"Well...would there, um, be some big life event that would speed up our happy ending process?" Gah, why can't I just be honest!?

"I don't know what you mean by that...? But I feel like there aren’t many of these 'big life events' left for us, right?" A small bead of sweat forms on my temple as he stares at me. 

"Yeah...you're right, Shirou. Or, should I say ‘Mr. Tohsaka?’" I grin at him as I hold up my beautiful wedding ring to his own. "I still can't believe you decided to take my last name..."

"Well, it's not like I hadn't already changed last names before. Plus your name is really important to you, and I can't really picture myself calling you 'Mrs. Emiya…'" He lets out a light laugh at his reasoning.

"You're kind of an airhead, Shirou..." I move my body closer to him and hold onto his left hand.

"I know, Mrs. Tohsaka. Though I should probably save that formal stuff for outside of the house, right Rin?" We both smile at each other. It's days like today that make up for all the struggles we've had. I let him stroke my hair while I hold onto his hand. 

"It took you long enough to build up the courage to start calling me that." I tease him a little to ease my tension.

"Old habits die hard, I guess. That and I've always looked up to you." He kisses the top of my head. This moment of intimacy is as good a time as any...

"Um…" I lock eyes with him. "Sorry I've been acting a bit weird these past three months. But, the truth is..." I squeeze his hand tighter. "You know how you said we don't have many big life events left?" He's still staring at me as serious as ever as I start to blush a little. 

"Yeah, why? What's wrong...? Did you want to build a new house or something? I feel like we're lacking the funds for something like that right now." If I don't stop him now he's just going to keep talking about finances or whatever.

"Listen... There's a major life event that we kind of...stumbled into, if you will." I guide his hand and place it on my stomach. "You know how we came back about three months ago to pay our respects to Sakura?"

"Yeah, of course I remember." I feel like I'm quickly losing him.

"Well..." My face keeps getting more and more red. "Jeez!! Why can't you take a hint after all these years together!?"

"Rin? Are you upset?" Definitely losing him.

"No! I'm not! I just... Look...we did some other things too while we were back home..." It probably looks like I have a fever at this point.

"Well...I mean, don't we always do...that when we get together? We do spend a lot of time apart, after all..." He's clearly embarrassed too.

"Don't just say something that embarrassing!" I squeeze his hand tighter. "It's just this last time was...special." Why am I so damned nervous!?

"O...kay?" Maybe I should develop some kind of magic that lets him read my mind...and vice versa, of course.

"You said I was glowing this morning, correct?"

"And you still are!" He kisses my cheek.

"Take this seriously!!" I squeeze his hand even tighter. "Look...there's a reason I'm...'glowing'..."

"Rin… I...I'm still lost, honestly..."

"Eh!?" I'm about to ruin a sweet moment if I don't calm down. "Okay... Deep breaths..." I rub his hand across my stomach, look him in the eyes, and try to muster the courage to tell him. “I…”

“Um…” He scratches the back of his neck. “You already know that I love your cute belly button…” Seriously?? He has to be messing with me at this point!!

“Okay, clearly the subtle approach isn’t working!” He gets startled a bit by me raising my voice. “...I’m sorry, this just isn’t easy for me to say for some reason…” Nervously, I tap my two pointer fingers together. “Just promise me you won’t get mad…” He stares at me quizzically as I hug my pillow.

“What could you possibly say that would-”

“I’m pregnant…” I mumble anxiously as he goes to pull me close to him.

“Eh!? Did you...wait you’re…” He freezes, his face now running red with a blush matching my own. He stands up.

“Shirou?” I stare up at him as he walks around to my side of the bed. “S-say something, you jerk…” I retreat my face further behind my pillow to avoid him seeing my embarrassment...which is clearly a futile endeavor.

“...” He gently takes the pillow from me, revealing my stupid, red face.

“Say something already, dum-” Before I can finish, my head facing down, Shirou quickly scoops me up into his arms. “S-Shirou!!” I’m taken completely off guard. Now that I’m forced to look at his face, I can tell that he’s on the verge of tears. “Hey, you’re not actually mad...are you?” Tears start to form in my eyes, my nerves clearly getting the better of me. 

“Of course not.” He plants a gentle kiss right on my left cheek. “I’ve honestly never been happier…” He then connects the tip of his nose to my nose, rubbing from side to side to eskimo kiss me. “I love you, so I could never possibly be mad at you for something like this...” A few tears of happiness flow down his face as he tells me the words I wanted to hear. I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen him cry in our 13 years together… Seeing him like this after hearing the news completely fills me with joy.

"Oh, Shirou!” I squeeze his face as I give him a big kiss. My own tears are now streaming down my face to match his. “I was so excited when I found out! It was so hard to wait until today to tell you, but I felt like it had to be in person." 

"I agree! I can’t believe you actually managed to hold that in for so long. You really are amazing[ly stubborn].” He carefully sets me down on the bed in a sitting position and then sits down right beside me. “So, do you know if we're going to have a boy or a girl yet?" He starts gently rubbing my stomach. "I can't believe I'm actually going to be a dad!" He wipes away his tears with his free hand, so I follow in his lead.

"She's a girl! We're going to have a little baby girl!" He gives me a tight hug, rocking me back and forth. I love just being able to soak in his scent and body heat like this.

"Hmm… Did you think of any names yet?" He whispers into my ear.

"Only one name really stuck out to me so far." I whisper back.

"Oh? What is it?" He pulls back and smiles at me. I look right into his soft eyes and smile deeply.

"Well, in honor of Sakura, I was thinking 'Tsubaki.'" Both of our eyes are practically shining at this point as we then share a passionate kiss. Pulling back, I take this opportunity to retreat back under the covers in a desperate attempt to remain warm and comfortable.

“You can’t seriously be going back to bed!” He checks his watch as he stands up. “We have to be ready to go in an hour, Rin…” He sighs before mumbling, “and you’ve already slept in today...”

"C'mon! Surely you're not so cruel as to force your pregnant wife out of bed! How about we just cuddle up instead?" I jokingly guilt trip him in the hopes that he’ll get back into bed with me for just a little bit longer. "It's cold, Shirou." I pretend to shiver. "Pretty please?" Can he possibly defeat me now? Puppy dog eyes haven't failed me yet!

"As much as I would love to remain in bed with you, we did already make those reservations. And besides, we can just cuddle up together tonight for as long as you'd like." He remains steadfast, yet sounds so defeated.

"Fiiine, but I'll hold you to that! The only thing we’ll do tonight is cuddle then, you jerk. Hmph!" I try my best to exaggerate my frustration towards him. After that, I slowly shuffle out of bed, get up, and go to put on a bra. But Shirou sits back down. 

"On second thought," he motions for me to come back to bed. "I'm really proud of you for suffering in silence with that information for months. Another 30 minutes to warm up wouldn't hurt." He lies down and waits for me to join him. Heehee. I knew he'd give in!

"Aww, you're too sweet," I finish putting my bra on and then hop back in bed with him to cuddle. "but nothing more than cuddling, mister." I give him a quick kiss before rolling around, patiently waiting for the warmth of his body to engulf me. 

"Of course, of course. Wouldn't want to be late, after all." He wraps his strong arm around me, holding me tightly before kissing the back of my head. 

"I'm happy everything's going well for you on your journey, Shirou… I'll never forgive you if you falter on me." He gently squeezes my left hand before playing with my wedding ring. 

"You know that I'll never give up on us." He glides his hand down to rest on my stomach. "And that goes for you too, Tsubaki." Those warm words bring a smile to my face. Even without him saying it, I already know Shirou won't give up on what we've worked so hard together to achieve. But it's still nice of him to reaffirm that! And so, just like that, we remain pressed together for what feels like the blink of an eye.

*****

Later that day, after lunch, I decided we should stop by the cemetery so I could tell Sakura the good news. While we usually are only able to visit once a year, this occasion is definitely an exception. I walk up to her grave, which is located near a cherry blossom tree. I bend down and place the bouquet of flowers I brought with me.

"Hey there, Sakura… It's been over three years now, but not a day goes by where I don't miss you. I really miss my little sister..." I'm beginning to choke up, but I want to remain strong. "It's getting a little easier though. Shirou and I are doing great, and we'll be celebrating our third anniversary soon. I'll even be moving back to Fuyuki in a few years, and he decided he's going to call it quits and settle down in just a handful of years as well." Despite discussing such happy things, I can still feel myself on the brink of tears. I really don't want to cry...

I grip the pink ribbon she used to wear in my hand. I've said this next part every time I've visited her grave… "Thank you...for wearing this every single day… It really meant the world to me...and it reminded me that I wasn't alone..." I begrudgingly accept the tears that follow those words. Shirou's helped reassure me that it's okay to get like this given the circumstances, but I still hate crying. "I just...I wish I had told you that while you were still-" Alive. I choke up on that last word. It's still hard for me to accept that she's really gone… I slowly wipe away my tears, since I need to tell her this next bit of information with a smile.

"This part is really exciting, Sakura." I clear my throat as I squat down, holding my stomach that hasn't yet revealed my secret to the world. "I'm pregnant!" The cold wind picks up a bit, as if in response to my words. "I was worried we'd end up waiting too long, but I'm finally going to be a mom!" Those words bring a soft smile to my face. "I promise to bring your niece here as soon as I can. She needs to meet her kind and beautiful aunt for herself." I stand back up. "…I really wish you could have met her as well." I didn't hear him walk up beside me, but I feel Shirou quietly hold my hand.

"Thanks again for everything, Sakura... For giving me company and taking care of me for all of those years." He gently squeezes my hand to reassure me that everything will be okay. "I'll make sure to take good care of your big sister in return. She can be quite the handful." He helps readjust my hair as he blocks the wind with his body.

"I used to frequently visit our parent's graves when I was younger, despite how painful it was… I guess I still haven't fully grown accustomed to it..." Hopefully I can visit the three of them more often whenever I move back. "I love you, Sakura." I say it with as bright a smile as I can muster before I turn to face him. 

"Are you doing okay?" he asks me. I silently nod my head.

"Yeah... I'll be fine. This felt good. And I needed to tell her the great news." I hold his other hand. "But, it's weird…" I look down. "I feel guilty that I'm able to carry on like this, and be so happy, after everything that's happened." 

"Rin..." He pulls me into a hug and we stand in silence for a minute or two. "I understand how you feel." He squeezes me tighter, reassuring me that I don't have to deal with this sort of pain alone. He went and paid his respects to Kiritsugu Emiya's grave before checking up on me. While I never met his adoptive father, I'm sure that man would be so proud of who Shirou has become.

"Come on, let's head back." I say with a melancholy smile as we end our embrace. The two of us hold hands as we make our way back to our home together. It's been more than three years, and, although the wounds are still fresh, life keeps going whether we want it to or not. While I did lose family that day, it wasn't too long after that the two of us started a family of our own.

Thanks to Shirou, I know that I'll remain happy; even through the lowest moments, he will comfort me. Before I met him I used to think that there was little meaning to be gained from such futile, and painful, moments in life...but he helped me understand that I was wrong underneath that starry night sky. 

So, for our sake, and for those that we've lost, I'll promise to make the most of our life together. The three of us will carry the Tohsaka name with pride. And we'll make it through life with happiness in our hearts as long as we don't forget what brought us together.

"I love you, Shirou." As we leave the cemetery, I reaffirm my feelings for him.

"I love you too, Rin." And so we head back home, an unknown future full of endless possibilities awaiting us. I'm anxious. Not because I'm scared, but because I'm excited to see what lies ahead.


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set over a decade after the events of the Unlimited Blade Works route (True Ending), Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka are still recovering from the events of the Dismantling of the Greater Grail, but the couple is committed to achieving their happy ending in spite of all that's been lost. In this part, Shirou returns home to finally settle down with Rin.

One sunny day, roughly four and a half years later...

I finish collecting my bags from the airport and head to the Fuyuki bus station. The air is crisp, though a tad cold, as my hometown is beginning to embrace Spring. The sky is a blend of light pink and blue, I can’t help but feel small underneath it all. The bulky scarlet scarf Rin gave me is quite helpful for times like these. It's been an exhausting two years since I last returned home, but now that I'm back I have no plans to leave again.

"I still can't believe she never learned how to work a webcam after all this time so that we could talk face to face..." I talk to myself for a bit while I wait for the bus to arrive. How Rin managed to stay so old fashioned after all these years still baffles me, but I can't help but love that part of her too.

"It’s been two years since I last saw her... I feel like my heart is going to skip a beat." My chest tenses up just thinking about it. The bus arrives and I make my way to the back with all of my luggage. I breathe a sigh of relief. It’s been far too long since I’ve been able to relax. I’ve helped as many people as I possibly could over these past 8 years without Rin by my side...and there were plenty of others I was unable to save. The path my ideal led me on was full of strife, but, thankfully, I never felt like I was walking that path alone. I look down at my hands, course and worn from all the fighting I've done.

"And it's been so long since I've gotten to hold either of them..." I take out my cell phone and sift through some old pictures from before my extended absence. I reflect on some of the memories that have kept me going all these years.

It was the location of our first date where I decided to propose to her. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding that day, even if I already knew what her answer would be. It was a picnic consisting of just the two of us this time, since Saber had long since disappeared. The way her eyes began to shine the moment she saw the ring, which I had carefully hidden away inside of a fortune cookie, is a sight I’ll never forget. I’ve never been the best when it comes to romance, so I took some advice from Ayako and also surprised her with a bouquet of 9 red roses. Despite knowing what her answer would be, I was relieved when she accepted my proposal after taking some time to tease me. During our first date, I felt guilty for being happy. It was like I simply didn’t deserve that warmth in my heart. But now, thanks to her, I’ve accepted that happiness.

Our wedding day was surprisingly normal for the two of us. Despite attempting to steel my nerves, seeing Rin walk down the aisle in a stunning pearly white dress had my heart beating like a jackhammer. I'm still impressed that she not only managed to get cake all over my face, but Ayako's face and Issei's face as well.

Issei may not have approved of our relationship yet, but he began to change his mind after seeing how happy we were together. Ayako paid Rin a few thousand yen for some bet, and seemed pretty annoyed about being bested by her rival. Fuji-nee was happy for the first time since Sakura had passed. I'm really grateful to her for helping us cover the expenses, and for being on her best behavior despite the open bar.

Our honeymoon was remarkable. We remained huddled up to one another for hours, wrapped up together in the oversized scarf she gave me, simply soaking in each other's body heat as we gazed at the skyline over Paris, from the Eiffel Tower, in the brisk winter air. Neither of us were willing to break up the moment as we fully embraced in our love. Though she did constantly tease me about getting a bigger ring that she could use for her magic...sometimes her jokes are in poor taste.

I chuckle as I'm swiping through these pictures, reminiscing over these events that happened so long ago. I also recall that evening when we were still at Clock Tower, where I engraved her words into my heart along with the promise to achieve our happy ending together. How many times did these photos, along with that promise we made, keep me going? I swipe to another album, the most important one of all, the day our daughter was born...

Luvia gave me the news that Rin was due for labor, and so I dropped everything and rushed back to London. Luckily I was only a day out and made it with some time to spare. Seeing her elated expression as I walked through the door made my heart flutter. But the most beautiful sight came after our daughter was born; the glow coming off Rin as she sat in the hospital bed, completely captivated by our daughter in her hands, and the smile spread across her face is a sight forever engraved in my heart.

Tsubaki came into this world as a perfectly healthy young girl and the two of us just sat together and held her for hours. Rin couldn't believe she'd managed to give birth to such a beautiful baby girl, and she pinched me since I was absolutely speechless. I swear Fuji-nee cried more than we did when she saw our daughter, and she couldn't believe that I waited as long as I did to have a child with Rin. For years she had been threatening me about waiting too long, saying that I couldn't just let “the ever-perfect Tohsaka-san grow tired of my bachelor delusions.” Whatever the hell that's supposed to mean.

Stopping the tears of happiness that day was impossible, and I was able to stay with my family for another month or so before heading back out. Those were some of the most challenging, but fulfilling, days of my life. The bright look on Rin's face when we got home and I revealed the baby carriage I'd secretly built is still one of the fondest memories I have from that time. It hurt much more to leave after that. I miss seeing Tsubaki so much...

"Well, it won't be long until I’m back." I steady my breathing in anticipation for our reunion. I've never felt this much excitement before. Crossing over the bridge, the bus heads ever closer to my destination. On the way there, we pass by my old home, which really takes me back. 

I begin to recall the days I spent with Kiritsugu there, the meals spent with Fuji-nee and Sakura, and memories from the Fifth Holy Grail War begin to rush through my mind as well. It may have been a scary event at the time, but it led to me getting to know the love of my life...so I can't help but look back on it fondly these days. I stayed true to my ideals and kept my promise to Rin, I feel like I can now hold on to the distant memory of the battle between Archer and I with pride. I feel like I can truly say I won, since I was able to find my answer.

"Hey, we're pulling up to the last stop before I'll be heading back. Make sure you don't leave anything!" The driver calls back to me, bringing me back to the present.

"Oh, sorry!" I ensure that I have all the souvenirs I bought before I make my way off the bus. "Thank you!" I make my way to our home, growing increasingly anxious every step of the way. As I round the corner to our home, I can see our daughter sitting on the porch, anticipating my return. She forgot to close the door...

"Daddy!" She takes off in a full-on sprint towards me. She's gotten so much bigger since the last time I saw her.

"Slow down now! You're going to take me down if you're moving that fast!" I set down the bags I'm carrying and scoop her up in my arms. "Wow, you've gotten so big!" I kiss her forehead as she giggles.

"You know that I'm four today, right daddy?" She growls back at me.

"Well of course I do!" I suppress my laughter. “How could I possibly forget?”

"Sooo, what did you get me!?" She says with a gleam in her eye…she's just as cunning as her mother.

"Alright, alright, let's get inside before I give you your gifts." I set her down and adjust the pink ribbons in her hair, in the meantime she begins looking over some of my luggage. "Where's your mother?"

"Mommy was real anxious this morning because she was getting real happy to see daddy. Um...she told me not to tell you that..." She giggles at her slip-up. "Right now she is making some of the good tea!" Tsubaki's starting to speak really well. Her mom is a genius after all, so it's not surprising.

“Alright, how about you grab one of these bags for me and we head inside?" I hand her the lightest bag I have and we make our way to the entrance.

"Tsubaki where did you run off to..." When suddenly Rin rushes towards the door calling for her. She's wearing a gorgeous, ruby red dress. "Shirou..." She stops herself as I'm staring at her. I instinctively set the bags onto the porch and walk towards her. Her expression has softened, with a mix of relief and surprise in her eyes.

"Sorry I got here a bit earlier than I told you..." We're just staring at each other, as her azure eyes reflect the morning sunlight and her hair flows down to her waist. Her eyes shine even brighter than I remember. "The flight arrived early…" I can feel a tear forming in my eye as I go to embrace her after setting my scarf aside.

"Shirou..." She hugs me, pressing her head into my chest. "I thought for a while about what to say, but I couldn't come up with anything satisfactory." She gently rubs her soft hands across my face, and strokes my hair. She then takes my hand in hers, gently caressing my palm.

"Sorry my hands are a bit rough..." I say as she shakes her head and continues trying to hold back her tears, though one manages to slip through.

"Idiot..." She kisses me. "I missed you so much..." Followed by her whispering, "and I'm happy to see your hair and skin never changed color." She helps carry some of the bags inside as I reach into my pocket and pull out my gift for her.

"Rin..." I wait for her to turn around. "I got you something." She stares at me for a bit as I open up my hand.

"That's... Shirou..." I reveal a red pendant, nearly identical to the one that saved my life, to her as I place it around her neck. 

"I commissioned it because I know how much it meant to you..." I reveal another pendant to her, this one an intense amethyst color. "And I also commissioned this one in memory of Sakura..." I place that second one in her hand and she clutches it tightly.

"Oh, Shirou..." She tightly squeezes my hand before grabbing some of the luggage. I follow her lead. "Come on in, I made sure to get everything ready for Tsubaki’s birthday." As we enter the house and set the bags down, our daughter brings us our cups of tea.

"I made sure not to spill a single drop this time!" She smiles brightly, extremely proud of her own efforts.

"Great job!" I rub her head as I smile at her before meeting Rin's smile. "It's been far too long since I've had your mother's home brew."

"Mommy..." She looks down towards the floor. "Is daddy going to be leaving after my birthday again?" The question takes Rin by surprise and my heart sinks a little.

"Honey..." Rin squats down to her level and gives her a light squeeze on the shoulder. "Daddy is going to be staying permanently from now on! He finally got all the work out of his system. Isn't that right, Shirou?" She turns back to me and I scratch the back of my head.

"That's right." I reassure our daughter with a smile. "I won't be leaving my two beautiful girls behind any more!" It may have taken a lot of pain and time, but I accomplished what I set out to do and never faltered. I may not have been able to save everyone before my eyes...but I feel content with everything I have accomplished. I look at my beautiful wife and smile. "Thank you, Tohsaka…for everything." Her face runs a light red, likely due to my referring to her as ‘Tohsaka,’ before she takes my hand.

"It's only smiles from now on, Shirou." She squeezes me tightly, refusing to let go now. "After all, we finally have our happy ending. I never lost faith in that for a second."

Later that night, after the two of us have settled down on the couch together, I pull her close to me. "I really am happy that you’re back, Shirou." I kiss the top of her head.

"Me too. It’s been far too long." She lays her head on my shoulder as we watch our daughter open up her presents with the new purple pendant around her neck, occasionally playing with it. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Rin also fiddling with the pendant dangling around her neck. 

"Thank you for this moment, father..." she looks back at me. "If it wasn't for my screw up that night and having to use the magical energy stored in that pendant...none of this ever would have happened."

"Huh, you're right...it's funny how fate works. Though I was partially responsible for that ‘screw up’ as well..." I hold her tightly to feel the heat of her body. I'm looking towards the future with unceasing anticipation. "You know...moments like this kinda make me want another kid." I half jokingly declare, as I gently stroke her hair.

"Emiya-kun..." She stares at me with partially squinted eyes, "You're such an idiot..." And then she lays her head back on my chest to continue with the scalp massage. "But you'll always be my idiot." And with that she succumbs to the pleasure, drifting ever closer towards unconsciousness. After noticing our daughter yawning for what seemed like 10 minutes straight, I gently lay Rin down on the couch and scoop Tsubaki up.

"Let's get you to bed, sleepyhead." I poke her gently on the cheek, exceedingly warm to the touch. "You've had a long day today."

"Daddy..." She can barely keep her eyes open. "I wuv you. Pwease don't be gone in the morning..." I wipe a tear from her eye as I set her into her bed and cover her up.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay?" I reassure her as I squat down to be eye level with her.

"Okay..." She reaches out her hand to wipe a rogue tear away from my face. "Don't cry, daddy."

"I'm just...so happy..." I lightly kiss her forehead and tuck her back in. "I love you, get some sleep." She tries to nod her head in response, but passes out instead.

"Huh, she really passed out just like her mother does..." Last time I was home she made me read to her before she would go to bed, something her mother must've picked up on. I close her door as I head back downstairs, noticing Rin asleep on the couch. 

"You know, Rin..." I sit down next to the couch in front of her as I talk quietly to myself. "I was being serious about having another kid. It would be nice to actually be there to watch them grow up this time... I feel like I missed too much." I look up at the ceiling as I reflect on the hardships that I've gone through over the past four years, those long periods of time when I couldn't spend as much time with my family as I would have liked. I sigh.

"Maybe that particular goal was too far away for my answer to be enough." I look back at her. "but that's okay now..." I smile and go back to staring at the ceiling. "I hope you know that I never once thought about giving up on you or Tsubaki for a second."

"Hmm~ yes, Shirou..." I hear her roll around behind me and I get startled a little thinking she heard that embarrassing monologue. "Please make some rice and eggs, I'm starving." But, thankfully, she's a heavy sleeper.

"When did you pick up sleep talking?" I try to stifle my laughter, though a bit slips out. "Well, I better get her to bed or she'll never let me hear the end of it." I can picture the lecture now: "I can't believe you let me sleep the night away on the couch, you idiot! What kind of man have you become while you were away!?" A light smile crosses my face. "I wouldn't have it any other way..." I gently lift her up and carry her like my princess.

"Shirou..." Her arms wrap around the back of my neck as her eyes begin to open slowly. "This reminds me of our wedding night..." Her face runs a little red as she confesses to what's on her mind. "Maybe you should carry me like this more often!" She pokes my nose. "I could get used to it." Her bright smile warms my already melted heart as I begin to blush a little.

"Now look who's the idiot..." I carefully navigate up the stairs while carrying her. Feeling her heat as she's pressed against me like this is starting to get me excited. "Okay, I'll do it." I declare.

"Huh?" She looks at me quizzically.

"I'll carry you like this more often."

"Oh? Well I was mostly joking..." She goes in for a kiss and we gently lock our lips together. "But if you insist!"

"You know, I remember a certain night when you confessed that you were afraid you weren't girly enough for me..." Her face immediately runs a red that matches the pendant around her neck.

"Sh-shut up!" She can't maintain eye contact like this. "You don't have to bring up that lovey-dovey night every chance you get, you know?" I chuckle as I gently set her down on our bed. I'm then met with her jerking my head to hang right above her face.

"Whoa! Where did that second wind come from?" She brings her soft lips next to my ears, her breath heavy and impatient.

"You didn't think that was going to be the end of our first night back together, did you?" She says seductively as she lightly nibbles on my earlobe.

"T-Tohsaka..." Now my face matches her pendant as she comes right out and says it.

"Ufufu. You know Shirou, I did hear your little monologue down there..." She snickers at me as she sits up, releasing her hold on me. "But that's okay, because we're clearly just a bunch of lame lovers anyhow." She casts a Bounded Field around the room so no sound can escape. "I've already set up a lock spell, so we certainly won't be getting interrupted..." After hastily putting her long hair in a ponytail, she nearly throws me onto the bed and assumes control. "Now I want to test just how serious you were about that 'second kid' idea!"

"Tohsaka..." She's being so direct all of a sudden, and I'm clearly losing control here as she pushes me down onto my back before unzipping her dress to reveal that she's wearing nothing more than black lingerie. It's something new she must've added to her wardrobe to prepare for our reunion. The fact that it perfectly covers the most sensitive parts of her body makes my heartbeat increase tenfold.

"And no more of this 'Tohsaka' nonsense." She makes a pout before bringing her face right up to mine, hovering her lips not even an inch above my own. Despite holding that position for what feels like an hour, she's not kissing me. Her hot breath and the heat from her flawless body is beginning to drive me crazy. The desire to embrace her is starting to take over my mind. Not being able to control myself any longer, I go in for a kiss since my goal is right there in front of me. Instead of the warm lips that I desire above all else, I'm met with a cold finger. 

"Not yet!" She declares as she pulls me back up into a sitting position and takes off my shirt, carefully examining the array of new scars I've accumulated since the last time we embraced. Her fingers gently rubbing them over as she casts a downtrodden look, before quickly snapping out of it. "I haven't had a massage in two years now, so we're starting with that~" She leans her back, barely covered by the soft lingerie, up against my chest as she demands a shoulder massage from me. "Chop chop!"

"Okay..." Rubbing her soft skin for the first time in two years is almost too stimulating. I can feel the blood rushing out of my head… I'm not sure how long I can remain obedient like this given her rising body heat.

About five minutes into this massage, "and Shirou..." She leans back to meet my lips with hers, the sensation drives me completely mad accompanied by the sounds escaping her mouth as I keep pressing into her.. "I'm going to make you hold back an hour for every time you've called me 'Tohsaka' today." I'm met with a devilish grin the likes of which I've never grown accustomed to seeing from such a beautiful woman, causing me to lose my grip.

"Eh!? But...but that's-"

"Unreasonable? Hardly!" She gets back into position for me to continue the massage. "I've warned you before, Emiya-kun, and I don't make empty threats!" I obediently resume the massage and more sounds begin to escape her, making me want to ravish her even more. "Consider this both your punishment," she leans further into me to deliver a seductive whisper while rubbing her fingers up my leg, stopping just short of my crotch, "and your reward~"

"You...you're being such a tease..." I start to resign myself to my fate, my sense of reason fading fast. Three hours...of this...

"Think of it as a test..." A moan of pleasure escapes as she tries to speak. "If you can restrain yourself after two whole years of waiting to do something like this..." Another moan causes my mind to explode. "Then maybe you'll learn how to restrain yourself from calling me by my family name." The next moan she clearly elongates.

"You're doing that on purpose to drive me crazy..." Her beautiful eyes meet mine, a conniving gleam in them, as I come to that realization.

"Ufufu. You're so smart, E~mi~ya~ku~n! But, you know..." The next moan that escapes being clearly genuine. "I only do this because I love you." She positions herself for a kiss as I roll my eyes and apply more pressure.

"...Tch." I gently pull on the devil's neck to kiss her. "I love you too." Despite giving in to her occasionally sadistic urges, I realized on that night nearly two decades ago, when we truly made love for the first time, that treating her like my princess is more than enough to make me happy. So I just have to resist this rising urge...to mindlessly ravish her...as our bodies begin to...melt into one another... It's so much easier said than done, damn it!

I gently kiss the nape of her soft neck in an attempt to drive her as crazy as I am. The wonderful scent of her hair begins to overwhelm my senses as I'm met with a lovely reaction. In an attempt to soak up every part of her body, I make my massage duty harder for myself by undoing her ponytail. Feeling each and every strand of her long, silky, black hair lick my skin sends shockwaves throughout my being. I feel like I'm being absorbed into her as my head gets dizzier.

More noise escapes her lips as goosebumps form across her smooth skin, one of the straps of her lingerie now sliding off her shoulder. This, in tandem with my desire to fully embrace her, causes any sense of reason left in my entire being to cease to exist, my head completely numb from the heat. While I distract her with the attack coming from my mouth, I attempt to massage her breasts. My hopes are quickly dashed, however, when a light jolt of electricity courses through my hands the instant I'm about to touch them, forcing me to give up on my surprise attack.

"You seriously used magic for this!!" The sudden jolt of pain sends my fingers flying back like I'm a labrat in an experiment. Any hope I had of escaping this torture is now completely gone. I'm starting to think she adopted The Art of War as her mantra while I was away. Sun Tzu would surely be proud of this devil disguised as a woman.

"Hmm~ How about we take off 30 minutes from the massage for this lovely kiss?" Her hot lips meet me and I can feel her tongue slide past my teeth to caress my own, causing my heart to explode. I desire more of her, but she moves quickly to avoid my attempt at sucking on the invading object. She grins devilishly at me as she pulls back from this sneak attack, wiping away a thin string of saliva. "Not too much just yet, you perverted beast." She leans into me once more. "I know how badly you want it, E~mi~ya~ku~n~," I begin to apply pressure to her shoulders once more, "But it'll all be worth it when the time is right, I promise." The red devil shoots me a wink so strong that it pierces through my skull. A sigh escapes me, but I can't accept defeat just yet...

After another half an hour or so has passed, I'm really starting to get into a rhythm. "Your body…" She cries out. Moans continue to spill out from her soft, luscious lips at an alarming rate as I apply more pressure to her wet nape. Her body, all the way from her smooth back to her firm ass, melting into my own like candle wax. "is so…" Her longest moan yet escapes as the pleasure begins to overwhelm her, and, looking over her shoulders, I can make out her toes starting to curl. "hot…" With just how hot her body is, she very clearly wants to proceed just as badly as I do… But her stubbornness and willpower is too much to overcome at a time like this.

"Damn it all..." I grit my teeth and accept my fate, having finally come to terms with the fact that this is going to be a very long night. I'm certain I'll have a long road ahead of me with Rin Tohsaka by my side...but I wouldn't have it any other way. After all, she's my precious girl.

Moments like these, where she gives into her womanly desires and decides to have some fun, serve as a reminder about why I fell in love with her in the first place. These simple moments of happiness are all I'll need for the future to come, and I'm eternally grateful to her for teaching me how to genuinely be happy.

Two hours, the longest two hours of my entire life, have now passed since the start of this massage, and neither of us can even think anymore. The only noise that has escaped her, once talkative, mouth in the last half an hour are her desperate moans. My entire body has now been rewired, it's primary objective to massage the wailing angel in front of me; all other functions, even breathing, have become secondary to pleasuring my lover. The heat being generated between us is absolutely maddening.

“Why does it always…” She somehow manages to formulate the beginning of a sentence despite the heat taking over. “end up like this…” Her eyes are no longer able to remain open due to the constant waves of pleasure coursing through her, and she begins to bite her lip in a desperate attempt to distract herself. “when we do these things…?” A rhetorical question. We both knew this is how the night would go. I think she just really enjoys gradually losing control and giving in to her desires, which is in contrast to how she typically is. I'm just happy that she’s comfortable with and trusts me enough to accept it. “Enough with the foreplay already~” That’s a selfish request that I refuse to fulfill. After all, I want to push her completely over the edge. I’m sure she’ll retaliate later as a result.

"I'll be sure to wake you up tomorrow, Rin," I dig my fingers further into her, the sensation causes her whole body to shiver in anticipation, and the very core of my being cries out to embrace her. "since we'll be going," I bring my mouth close to her, slowly licking her now salty skin from her nape to just below her ear, and whisper, "All. Night. Long." The sensation just as maddening for her as it is for me as I gently nibble on her cute earlobe. Despite the fabric concealing them, out of the corner of my eye I can see how hard her nipples are due to all the stimulation being sent throughout her sensitive body. Neither of us are really in control of this situation anymore, just two animals slowly giving in to our primal desires. Using my right hand, I gently trace along her perfect thighs and hips, being careful to avoid the fabric that will reject my caress, to further drive her wild. The closer I get to my primary destination, the more she trembles in response.

"I already told you…" She cries out for this to stop. "I dropped that spell half an hour ago…" To say she's ready would be a massive understatement. "Shirou~" Her sweet voice sings out in a hot, elongated moan. "Your hands are…" She nearly succumbs to the pleasure, her right hand inching closer to her crotch, but manages to hold off at the last moment by shifting her focus to squeezing my hand instead. "...so lewd!" But I refuse to let her distract me from driving her wild, and instead I barrage her with a series of wet kisses to her exposed neck. "Please…" Beads of our sweat have merged into one to form a small puddle on our bed sheets. But I don't care how dirty we get these sheets.

"Just 30…" My attacks have sent her into a frenzy as her feet are scratching at my own and her grip on my hand tightens. By concentrating on my offensive, I've been able to ignore the excruciating pain that's been present in my lower body for well over an hour now. As if reading my mind, her hips begin to move slowly, yet methodically, on their own. The sensation is absolutely maddening as her ass continues to grind against my lower body, and the heat created by the friction from this counterattack threatens my resolve. But I can't break just yet... "more minutes…" It's obvious that she wouldn't mind skipping ahead this next half hour to get to the main event, but I'm getting a surprising amount of pleasure from seeing her squirm and beg for more. She must not have accounted for the fact that this torture session she thought up would be torture for her as well. But, more importantly, I want to make her feel as good as physically possible. "until I…" A wet kiss to her nape causes her whole body to shiver in anticipation. "give you…" Another wet kiss, this time higher, followed up by a playful nibble. "the best night of your life~" and so, I devote myself, with my entire being, to that promise to my shining star.

*****

After waking up the next day far later than I would have liked, and earlier than Rin would have liked, we decided it would be best to take Tsubaki on a picnic to welcome the Spring season. The two of us prepared a variety of different sandwiches, ranging from Western to Japanese to Chinese styles, while our daughter focused on her magic studies after making two egg salad sandwiches for us. She’s doing exceptionally well when it comes to the transfer of mana and strengthening objects, especially considering her age. She was absolutely giddy with excitement as we drove over to the park. I still get a tad nervous whenever Rin drives the car, but she’s gotten a lot better at it over the years.

The three of us hold hands as we walk to the park from the lot, Rin and I each carrying a picnic basket in our free hands, as Tsubaki skips between the two of us. Heading to the park in Fuyuki, the site of that tragedy that took place nearly three decades ago, makes me feel uneasy. Even if I’ve come a long way since then, recalling that fire still haunts me a little.

“I know you’re not the biggest fan of visiting this place…the mana in the air still hasn’t fully recovered.” As Tsubaki runs a bit ahead of us, Rin squeezes my hand to comfort me.

“It’s alright,” I give her a light smile, “I’ve overcome worse with you by my side.” She smiles back at me.

“Mommy! Daddy! Come quick!” Tsubaki’s elation snaps us out of our brief moment together.

“What is it, Tsu-” Rin turns to look in the direction our daughter’s voice came from before coming to a halt. I turn to look in the same direction and can’t believe my eyes. Despite the horrible event that took place here, and the mana that still hangs stagnant in the air, the field before our eyes is absolutely breathtaking. Any sign of Winter has since disappeared, the ground before us a luscious green. Beautiful flowers of all kinds fill my vision and, off in the distance, a beautiful cherry blossom tree has bloomed.

“It’s so pretty!” Our daughter walks back and starts pulling on our hands. “Can we eat under it?” Rin’s eyes remained fixated on the tree in the distance, as her shock began to give way to a warm smile.

“Of course!” She begins to walk with our daughter. “How about we all have a little race?” She throws out a challenge as she turns back to look at me.

“That sounds fun!” Our daughter takes off running, but turns to shout back to me. “Come on, daddy!” But I’m currently distracted by the sight in front of me. I never pictured how beautiful this place could be...nature having reclaimed the land despite what had happened. The raging fire had given way to new life over time. I’m reminded of the sight of my Reality Marble.

Suddenly, my vision is filled with a countless number of swords surrounding this beautiful field. Somewhere off in the distance, I can vaguely make out the figure of what appears to be a knight in red. Squinting, I can see what looks to be a slight smile on his face. Though the memory of this man has worn away with time… I'm given no time to dwell on the matter, however.

“Come on, Shirou~” My loving family runs out in front of me as the scenery returns to normal before my eyes. I'm standing in Fuyuki, Japan, after all. This isn't actually my Reality Marble. “We’re not gonna wait on you forever!” Rin runs back to get me, cupping her free hand around mine with a bright smile on her face. That smile may be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen as I take off running with her. 

“I won’t let you beat me that easily!” The smile across my own face is a reminder of just how far we’ve come on this journey together. This must be what it means to have our 'happily ever after.' I just know that every single day, even the worst of them, will be full of happiness like this.

“I did it! I beat you both to the cherry blossom!” Our daughter, our beautiful, precious daughter, jumps up and down to celebrate her victory. I can’t help but think of the future… It will take me some time to forgive myself for what I have already missed in her life, but I can’t wait to see her grow up to be as beautiful as her mother. I can’t wait to teach her what her mother taught me: how to laugh deeply, and how to love the simple things. I can’t wait to teach her how to cook, and I’ll be there to console her when a boy makes her cry for the first time. I’ll walk her down the aisle, and I’ll be one of the very first people to congratulate her when she has a child of her own. All of that, and more, I will do. And all of it with the love of my life by my side. 

“Congratulations!” I scoop her up into my arms as I gently set down the picnic basket I’m carrying. “I can’t believe just how fast you are!” I pinch her cheeks as she smiles. “Rin--” I turn to her, a bright sparkle in her eyes as she looks on at us.

“Shirou…” She joins us for a tight group hug. “I’m just...so happy!” We kiss and Tsubaki makes a noise to signal she’s grossed out by it. “Thank you… for never breaking your promises.” She says, slowly pulling back from such a sweet moment. She squats down to ruffle Tsubaki’s hair with a big smile spread across her face. We set down the blanket for our picnic and prepare to spend the day together as a family. Underneath this beautiful cherry blossom tree, I know exactly who else is on Rin’s mind. I wish Sakura could be here with us now...but I hope I’m at least doing right by her.

“This tree is almost as beautiful as auntie!” Tsubaki remarks as she begins munching on her food, sauce spilling onto her cheek. Rin still takes her to see her late aunt at least twice a year.

“That's right, sweetie.” Rin takes her handkerchief and wipes our daughter’s face. “Almost…” And she pokes her nose. “Now eat how an elegant young lady should eat, missy!” As if in protest of this, Tsubaki shoves the entire rest of her sandwich in her mouth before choking it down with some water. I can’t help but laugh, and Rin joins in with me.

"You know, Tsubaki, your aunt Sakura was exceptional at archery." This new information about her late aunt gets her to slow down a bit.

"Wow~ Really!?" Her eyes light up as both her mother and I nod. "That's so cool! Aunt Sakura sounds way cooler than you, mommy!" I can hear Rin sigh (mumbling something along the lines of "since when was magic not cool") as Tsubaki stands up and pretends to nock an arrow. Her form is terrible, but she's certainly passionate! "I want to learn, daddy!" She continues to practice firing her invisible bow.

"Keep at it and you'll be an expert in no time." This remark is met by an elbow in my stomach.

"Don't provoke her too much. She's going to get too excited and end up firing Gandr all over the park…" Ah. Clearly she needs some more practice controlling her magical abilities…

"Sounds like she inherited a certain tendency to make mistakes…" Justice must be had for the unfair elbow that just knocked the wind out of me.

"You're not as funny as you think you are, Emiya-kun~" She scolds me with such a frightening expression I begin to wonder if I'm actually in trouble. I smile at her and hand her the two canned coffees I secretly brought.

"Here, I brought these for you." I reach out with my olive branch.

"Thank goodness…" She immediately downs one whole can before I can even react. "You can't always bribe me, you know?" She yawns a bit before working on the second can. Reaching into one of the baskets, I grab the two sandwiches Tsubaki made for us.

"You really should work on your sleep schedule, Rin." Part of me wants to get a rise out of her. The stare I receive could kill a man.

"It's your fault in the first place!" She pouts a bit before finishing her coffee while watching Tsubaki run around the park pretending to shoot bad guys. "You beast." Rin lays down, facing away from me. I decide not to point out the fact that it was originally her idea that resulted in us staying up so late. I let out a light laugh, my teasing was a clear success!

“It’s such a lovely day today.” I remark as I lie down right beside her and start eating one of the two sandwiches our daughter prepared. It’s just a simple egg salad sandwich, but it’s really delicious. I’m so proud of her.

“Isn’t it?” Rin takes the other sandwich so she can try our daughter's culinary creation. “You know,” she closes her eyes to soak everything in as the wind causes her hair to sway ever-so-slightly. “the food tastes better when you’re here.” 

“I’m glad to hear that.” I close my eyes as well to soak in the sun. “I’m really looking forward to more days just like this.” I can’t wait to see what exactly the future has in store for us. The possibilities are simply endless under such a bright blue sky…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed my fanfic! If there's enough interest, I would consider writing additional one-shots detailing various events that were mentioned in both this chapter and the previous chapter (like Shirou proposing to Rin, their wedding, etc.).


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